


Shadow Play

by Magi_Silverwolf



Series: The Player's Haven Adventures [5]
Category: Original Work, The Player's Haven Adventures
Genre: Based on an RPG, Fantasy Culture, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Necromancy, Party as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2019-01-01 05:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12149703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magi_Silverwolf/pseuds/Magi_Silverwolf
Summary: Abby finds Furor playing with his little shadowlings.





	Shadow Play

**Author's Note:**

> Placement: After _New Hone_ ; Before _Natural Enmity_.  
>  Warning(s): Furor's story is a sad one.

-= LP =-

Shadow Play

-= LP =-

“There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of young children; it doesn't even have to matter what they're laughing about.” – Criss Jami, _Killosophy_

-= LP =-

 

The small party had traveled almost without issue for close to a week and a half. Korin insisted tonight when he stopped them to make camp that they were roughly halfway to Ogouri. He didn’t use those words, but Ella did when she translated it. The dwarf had slipped into dwarven a couple of times to explain how he knew where they were going without a map or even working knowledge of the land.

 

It was during this discussion that Furor had disappeared. He had grown bored with the discussion. It all seemed rather technical and foreign to the child summoner. He didn’t speak dwarven and he had doubts about the tradetongue that Ella and Iryna were using. As he rounded a bend after crossing a stream, the party disappeared from sight.

 

It was tempting to summon something. There was no real need for it except as a cure for the boredom that was plaguing him. He was used to having near constant companionship from his minions while he traveled. It was much different traveling with actual people. His friends seemed to creep out his little family. It was to the point that Papa Dwarf had told him not to summon a specific kind around Ella.

 

But he wasn’t round Ella at the moment, was he? The little necromancer giggled as he summoned dozens of shadows the size of Ruin. They raced around him like puppies. He trailed his hands over their tiny bodies, marveling at the cool slickness. Spotting a stick, he came up with a brilliant idea.

 

“Fetch,” the boy ordered as he threw the stick. The shades tumbled over each other in a race to get the piece of wood. They converged into a writhing mass before one managed to separate with the stick held in what seemed to be its mouth. He giggled again, only to start at a flash of white in the nearby underbrush. “Oh! Rabbit!”

 

As if his words were an order, the shadows darted after the hapless animal. They herded the rabbit back to the clearing in which their master was waiting. Once there, they swarmed over the beast. With the speed of dozens of appendages, they stripped the creature of its flesh and sorted it all in a matter of moments. The meat was wrapped in the hide and placed to the right of Furor. Every bone was offered directly to him while the shades made short work of the rabbit’s internal organs.

 

“Oh, what good little pets you are,” he cooed to his dark minions. Like puppies, they swarmed him. For creatures made of pure darkness, they were surprisingly heavy, knocking him over and making him drop most of the bones. They tickled his skin. He rolled from side to side, laughing hard enough that his ribs were beginning to ache from it.

 

"Furor, where are you?"

 

Abby called just loud enough to be heard a fair distance without disturbing the group that had still been discussing semantics when she had noticed the boy missing. She adjusted the fez resting on her head. Its metal tassel glinted in the setting sun that filtered through the trees. It would be night soon. It would not do for Furor to be out by himself in the dark. The fact that he had survived up until this point could be attributed just as much to luck as it could skill.

 

Gutsy giggles sounded from further on ahead. They sounded vaguely like Furor. Abby smiled at both the honest laughter, which was rare to here from the rather serious child, and the ease of her hunt. Curious to see the cause of the laughter, she slipped into a quieter pattern of walking learnt from having many siblings with sensitive hearing. The sight that greeted her as she rounded the corner made the blood drain from her face and her hand fly to the hat on her head.

 

She had found Furor, all right. He was definitely under that swarm of shadows. There were even more scurrying around like demented rat terriers. Her stomach threatened to rebel at the sight of them tearing apart animals. They seemed to be creating a pile of animal flesh beside Furor and another pile of bones. The sickening white color of the bones spoke of how thoroughly the flesh had been removed. With each animal they dressed in their own way, they seemed to grow bigger. Her mouth went dry at the implication.

 

“Funny little pets,” the boy gasped as he pushed the shadows holding him down away as if they were nothing more than the overly enthusiastic puppies that they resembled. His violet eyes went wide at the pile of bones beside him. “Squirrels, rats, and birds—you do love me,” he declared with a grin that split his face nearly in two. “You even left the meat for later. You are so wonderful.”

 

Carefully and with proper reverence, he stowed the bones away with the rest of his collection. The shades seemed a bit agitated at their disappearance. He soothed them with generous pets before reaching for the meat. As he stashed it away in another bag, he kept up a steady string of words. He told them exactly what he would do with the meat and who would be helping him. They seemed to respond well to it, if the deep rumbling sounds were any indication.

 

Furor grinned as he spotted Ruin playing with one of the shades. The tiny creature held what looked to be an equally tiny sword and was facing the cat in mock combat. He exclaimed with delight as he fell forward on his elbows to watch the match. Ruin gave him an irritated flash of his red eyes, which ended when the shade lunged in an attack.

 

“Furor?” Abby’s voice was full of trepidation, but she was rather proud of the fact that it didn’t crack like Jean’s voice did under stress sometimes. One hand was still clutching the small fez. The chain chinked slightly from the tension vibrating through her body. “What are those? New friends?”

 

Furor stood up like a shot. He made a quick gesture that made the shades fade from view. Abby barely noticed that they faded instead of simply vanished like his other creation. Stammering, the boy scooped up his pet and held it out as if it were evidence.

 

“What friends? It’s just me and Ruin,” he stated as he pulled the bony beast tight against his chest. He stroked it gently. He was trying to hide a guilty face by looking off to the side slightly. Even if she hadn’t seen the expression half a dozen times a day from her siblings, it would have failed. He just didn’t have any experience. Nickolas and Imogen were far better at it. Of course, even Nickolas couldn’t fool Da.

 

  
Abby worked the fez off her hand. With a jarring jangle from the chain, she placed it back atop her head. Repressing the slight hysteria that threatened to cause inappropriate laughter, she gave him as stern an expression as she could muster while being as relieved as she was.

 

"Yes, Furor, I see you and Ruin,” she acknowledged evenly, “and I am sure Ruin is sad that his duel with one of your new friends ran short. So I ask again: who were those little shadows?"

 

"You were not to have seen," the boy said now openly crying. The tears rolled down his face. Furor made no effort to wipe them away as Nickolas or Imogen would have done. "He is going to be mad at me!"

 

"Shh, little one,” Abby soothed as she would have done one of her own siblings. She pulled him into her arms and rocked him just the same. It took a while, but the flood slowed to a trickle. Finally, it ended. “It seems to be fine with me. Now, who were your little friends?”

 

Hugging Ruin close to him, Furor sniffled softly. Over the course of his tears, he had relaxed into the hug. It felt nice to be held like this. Iryna was the only one who was ever really close to him, and she was not big on long hugs. She gave hugs in short but fierce bursts. Ella was still a little skittish around him despite the fact that Furor knew that she wasn’t as afraid as she had been at first. Cautiously, he rested his head on Abby’s shoulder. This was warm.

 

"I shouldn’t say. Papa Dwarf will be mad that you have seen them. He didn't want anyone to know," the boy told her through more sniffles. He kissed Ruin on the top of his head for support. He felt her take a deep breath and marveled a bit at the feel of it. His friends didn’t do that.

 

"While I am sure Ella needs not to see them yet, they do not seem like the Hungry Dark. A thing known is a thing not to fear—just treated with cautious respect."

 

"Well, they are hungry,” the death mage ventured. Emboldened by her understanding, he continued. “They can strip the fur, flesh, feathers, or whatnot from an animal quickly leaving me with bones and meat." He awkwardly patted the bag of meat. It was difficult to do snuggled into Abby and holding Ruin, but he managed to do it without elbowing Abby in the ribs. "They are wonderful little pets, and they seem stronger then my other friends. I might just have to retire them unless the time calls for them," he pondered aloud. "Though I will not do without my night lullaby from the mummies. Do you think my shades could sing too?"

 

"They might be able to, but what I mean by the Hungry Dark is what we fought down where we lost Seren," Abby explained patiently, "and they do not seem like that kind of monster…not exactly, at least."

 

"No, but given enough time I could try to make something like that if you wanted," the boy offered, not sure if that’s what she wanted, "I mean things like these keep popping up to me, new friends, new pets, so maybe those will too one day if I try hard enough for you."

 

"I would prefer you not try,” Abby informed the little necromancer. She shivered at the thought of those things. What she had witnessed his friends do to the animals was close enough to the stories of what Da and her mother had faced when they had attempted to retrieve Ella from the cave. It was certainly close to the stories that Aunt Teresa told of the dark place from where she had lived before coming to live at Stars Passage. “They are things of my childhood nightmares, and Ella's terror screams."

 

"Maybe one day I can make so many pets that I can give Aunty Abby the world," the boy said with a nod of agreement. He giggled at his ever so innocent thought of giving Abby such a gift. She was definitely worthy of such a gift.

 

"The world is not what I need,” Abby replied. She hugged him tightly so that he would know that she did appreciate the thought. In memory of her aunts doing the same, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Her next words were spoken there. “All I need in the world is my Family happy and healthy. The rest we can take care of as it comes.”

 

Furor reclaimed his position reclining against her. Ruin was held close to him as if the bony cat was a stuffed bear. The cat itself just seemed to purr louder in response. He could never explain how the cat did that, but he did like the sound. It went well with the heartbeat beneath his ear. That was another thing that his friends did not have. Furor was tempted to reorder his list of favorite sounds just to include it. The lure of just cuddling almost distracted him before he could ask his question.

 

“What is a family like?”

 

“The best way to describe family is as a warmth almost like a full meal,” Abby explained after a moment’s thought. “Instead of being in your belly, the feeling is in your heart. It lightens your step and brightens your day. You may get angry at each other, but when end comes to end, you know with no doubts that when you need them, they will be there as you are for them.” Abby nudged him to stand, noting his reluctance to move away from her. She would have gladly held him longer, but they needed to get back to camp. "That, little brother, is the best way I can describe family."

 

"Oh,” Furor whispered. His next words were spoken as if they were a thought that had escaped him. “Did I ever have a family besides Ruin and brother? Did someone once love me?"

 

"I am sad to say that I don't know about one.” She punctuated her response with squeezing him against her side. Her heart ached for what Furor had lost. For a moment, she floundered. She wasn’t Jean or Dani who had pretty words for all occasions. In the end, she decided to simply speak and allow the truth to come as it will. “All I can speak of is now, and now I hope there is no doubt you have those who care and love you, little brother." She kept him close as she started them walking back to camp. "All the rest, all the past, will come as it will.”

 

“True,” Furor agreed with a soft nod. He leaned against Abby as they followed the lightly marked trail. He allowed Abby to guide him as his mind wandered to who his parents could have been. Softly, almost as if he was breathing the sounds, he began to sing one of his songs. The melody was joyfully giddy which as a sharp contrast to the content of the words.

 

_"Deep, deep, hidden away_

_There is nothing_

_But shadows that roll about like the sea,_

_Black, black, blacker than the darkest of night_

_Do they stir and squirm with hungers might_

_Awaiting their ruler_

_Awaiting the day_

_That Koth shall call them_

_Back to the land you see_

_Black, black souls of hungers plight_

_Bloody claws shall tear at you_

_For the feast you are tonight_

_Beware of the darkness_

_Step always in light_

_Lest you find yourself consumed_

_By the shadow sovereign tonight."_

 

"Where did you hear that from, Furor?" Abby paused a moment in her motion. While the name of her brother was odd to hear, Koth had been adventuring for a long time, so it was not unlikely that he already had a ballad. He would not be the first Rimon child to have that distinction. She gave a reassuring grin to the boy necromancer half-held to her side. It was answered by the one upon Furor’s upturned face. His next words caused a shiver to pass through her.

 

"The shadows and shades—they do like to whisper things to me. They speak of stirring things in the Dark, endless hunger, rising powers, and the evil that grows upon this land."

 

"Ah, you might want to sing that to Ella,” Abby suggested after a moment of struggling for words. “I wonder what she would make of it.”

 

"The shadows don’t really want to come up here,” Furor commented with a shrug. “They would rather stay below where they could eat all they wish. But when they are brought up here and unleashed, that is when all goes to naught."

 

"True, at least, for now,” Abby admitted. “Legends of my mother’s people speak of times when the Hungry Dark wandered the land, freely eating what they would. But that was ages and into legend ago. Let’s speak more of this later. We are near the camp now.”

 

"I still say we should have found a graveyard to sleep at tonight,” Furor grumbled. He moved away from Abby’s side just enough to let Ruin climb up to his shoulders. The cat draped itself around Furor’s neck like some kind of bony boa. “Graves are so much more comfortable."

 

"For some and you with your talent, true,” Abby agreed lightly, taking the childish complaint for what it was, “but for Ella who still hears the whispers of horrors, not so much."

 

"My talent?" Furor gave her a quizzical look. His head tilted to the side as if he were examining a bug that he had found.

 

"Why else would the shades and all come so easily and talk to you and not others? Why else do you have this cutie," Abby countered with a motion like she was scratching Ruin’s chin. The cat dropped its head so that she was actually rubbing its lower mandible. She successfully repressed the shiver.

 

"Because he and Tumult are all the family I have left," Furor said, punctuating the remark with a kiss to Ruin’s jaw, "because of brother. Brother says that he is part of the reason the Darkness loves me so."

 

"And that just may be your talent or it may be more." Abby gave the boy a reassuring smile. "Either way, it matters not; for we are becoming a family slowly." Furor nodded, and then he grinned mischievously.

 

"Wanna scare them?" he asked with a soft chuckle.

 

The pair was closing in on the steady stream that lay near the camp. In the dimness of dusk, they spotted a series of twinkling lights about the cold water. The orbs of light were too large to be fireflies, but still too small to be a Jarolyn like Eria. They flitted in patterns that were too hectic for fireflies.

 

"Oh, pretty," the boy muttered, "think I can catch one?"

 

Abby chuckled as she walked with care closer to the stream. She was careful not to get her feet wet as she admired the feylings’ brilliant display of light. Furor giggled like the child he was. Impulsively, he raced out to try and catch one. Ruin tumbled from his perch at the sudden jolt forward from his human. The cat merely shook himself before taking off after Furor. Abby watched, her eyes dancing with joy at the sight of Furor being a kid.

 

"Careful, Furor,” called Abby after him. “Pretty they may be, but they can defend themselves as well and the others await our return for evening meal!”

 

Furor was lost in himself. The playful lights just called to him. The boy leapt about twirling though the air ever so gracefully as he tried to snatch one of the creatures up. As they swirled about him, he couldn't help but laugh all the more. An occasional brave one would dart forward to tug at his hair or clothes before darting away. His magic tingled within him at every brushing touch.

 

"Furor, come on,” Abby attempted to recall him from the fairy lights. She felt just as bubbly, but well, a girl’s got to eat. “Aren't you hungry? The sooner we get to camp, the sooner we're fed."

 

"But this is fun," the boy complied with a sigh. "They are just so pretty and fun to chase."

 

"That they are and if we finish with the meal quickly, Ella would probably love to join you out here, chasing and looking at them," Abby comprised cheerfully. Ella would, too. She loved feylings. It didn’t matter than she was sixteen. She had played with the tiny fey just the night before the cave in.

 

"Still, we could try and scare them,” Furor announced. It took Abby a moment to catch back up with the conversation. Right, back to before he had gotten distracted by the feylings. “I could make mummies all around the camp, and have them sing."

 

"Talk to Korin about it first,” Abby suggested with a laugh. “Though I think it would make my sister uneasy."

 

"But isn’t that the fun of a prank, and joke? To startle, scare a person without them knowing."

 

“No, not really,” Abby corrected. “The purpose and fun is the laughter, not the fear, but the laughter.”

 

"Really? But everyone always did stuff to try to scare me and said it was a joke."

 

"In all likelihood, they were just being mean and couldn't be honest about it. That type never are the most honest of folk."

 

"Does that mean everyone is always mean to me," he questioned after a moment of hard thought. The fey lights were completely forgotten now. Standing there with his arms once again around Ruin as if the bony feline was a stuffed animal, Furor looked lost at this revelation.

 

"Are me, Korin, or the others mean and joking like that?" Abby countered. Furor shook his head, accepting the difference. He continued to look as if his world had just tilted to the side, which Abby supposed it had, in a way.

 

"Before you guys, people always did things that hurt me. But then they would laugh and say it was a joke."

 

"Even Donatello?" Abby questioned gently. At this point, it wouldn’t surprise her. He had not been the best example of a Parent. She knew from Da that Aunt Doshi was above and beyond the other Parents, but Donatello was just pitiful in comparison. Furor shook his head.

 

“No, he wouldn’t do anything,” Furor admitted. He gave a brief hesitation, but she seemed willing to listen to his side of things. “But he didn’t stop anything. That…hurt…almost like that time I actually got stabbed with the pitchfork.”

 

"The truth is,” Abby said after letting the idea that Furor, as young as he was, had that experience to which to compare something, “people who are different scare some people. So they pick on them to make themselves feel better." Abby sighed. It sounded as if she was excusing their actions, which was not what she had intended. That kind of behavior was inexcusable. "It’s a hard and sad thing, but I will look out for you the best I can. I hope you know that."

 

“I got them back though,” Furor replied with a shrug. It was almost as if he hadn’t heard her. He seemed to have withdrawn into himself. He giggled again and this time it sounded a little sinister to her ears. “Then I got to laugh, and they screamed. Oh, they screamed, cried, and some even peed themselves!"

 

"Revenge may feel good but long term it just hurts more,” Abby whispered. Her eyes were distant and sad, almost caught in a long ago mystery.

 

"I just let them see a world of song, and bones," Furor assured her with another giggle.

 

"Just take care in the future lest you become the need for such fear, little brother,” Abby cautioned, only half seeing Furor, “take care, indeed."

 

Furor nodded in acknowledgement. Almost absently, he wrapped his aura about his body tightly, reining in the chill and fear that seeped out about him. He was rewarded by Abby giving herself a shake. She gave him a weak smile which he returned with a grin.

 

"Now what?" he asked with the impatience of a child.

 

"Now," declared Iryna as she approached with two plates of food, "we eat!"

 

Furor gave another giggle before taking the offered plate. He set about devouring the food. It was simple fare, but Iryna always seemed to make it tasty. Abby didn’t really know where Iryna was finding some of the vegetables that she was using. Furor looked at the gypsy with a worshiping expression between bites.

 

"You are so wonderful, Aunty Iryna,” he declared. “Your food is always so wonderful."

 

“Aw, thanks, kiddo,” Iryna replied. Finally she dished up a portion for herself after making certain that everyone else had one. Abby settled into the quiet rhythm that was camp in the evening, letting their banter flow over her like a refreshing shower. Iryna gave the little mage a wink and a grin. “You haven’t even seen desert yet.”

**Author's Note:**

>  **Author’s Note for Competition Data:**  
>  House: Gryffindor  
> Word Count: 4012 (Story); 4038 (Story & Epigraph)


End file.
